Hat block clamp



' May 24, 1938. M. H. APPEL HAT VBLOCK CLAMP Filed Sept. 29, 1937 INVENTOR mam/e fippe/ BY Q ATTOR Y Patented May 24, 1938 UNlTED STTES ATENT OFFIE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to the blocking of hats and relates more particularly to a device whereby the hat blank may be secured to a forming block.

A hat clamp in the blocking of a hat has customarily been placed against the inside band portion of the hat to hold the hat on the form. In order that the hat will not revert to its former shape because of the elasticity of the material of which the hat is composed, it is customary to iron or otherwise heat-treat the hat. The hat then retains the shape given it by the mold or form. Hence, any device which is used to stretch or retain the hat in position must be located so that it will not interfere with the application of heat to the interior of the hat.

Heretofore, devices have been employed to secure hat blanks on the forming block by having an extensible band of metal which encircles the inside of the hat blank at the position where the hat sweat-band customarily goes. The devices as heretofore used usually have been an overlap ping band having a bolt, extending through one end of the band, and passing through a complementary longitudinal elongated opening at the other end. With the nut and bolt in position, the user spreads the band tangentially, and when the band has been expanded, the wing nut bolt is tightened. The difficulty with the aforementioned device is that both hands of the operator necessarily must be used to hold the band or clamp in position.

In other prior art devices of hat block clamps, a torsional spring has been employed which spreads the ends of the ring-like band. The difficulty with this latter type of clamp is that the torsional spring has its closed circular end completely extending across the clamp, and this arrangement interferes with the operation of block- 40 ing the inside of the hat once the clamp is in position.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a hat block clamp which will enable the operator to easily and accurately lock the hat block band or clamp in position on the hat blank within the form and block.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a clamp for hat blocks wherein the spreading device is simple, is located to one side of the hat block clamp and is easily operable.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a hat clamp which will enable the user to freely work on the outside and on the inside of the hat in order to properly shape or block the hat.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described of simple and economical construction, having a maximum efficiency, and being sturdy in construction.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

The figure is a perspective View of an embodiment of my invention showing the band spreader comprising a threaded nut and bolt.

Referring now in particular to the drawing, the band, generally designated as A, is comprised of a thin strip of brass or other suitable resilient metal ID. The hat clamp is approximately A;" thick and about 1 wide and it is of a length which is substantially longer than the linear length of a hat band. The clamp or band I0 is constructed so that the ends l2,and M of the band overlap on the end.

Adjacent the end l2 of the hat clamp I0 is a lug or bracket [6 which extends inwardly of the clamp and which is rigidly attached to the clamp II]. To the free end of the bracket is is a pivot l8, the latter having a threaded bore therein to receive one end of a right-and-left-hand threaded shaft or bolt 20.

A turning knurled handle 2| is securely formed with the central portion of the threaded bolt 20.

Adjacent the end l4 and firmly attached to the band III is a lug or bracket 22, similar in construction to the bracket I6, and to the bracket is a pivot 24 which has a complementary bore therein to receive the other threaded end of the bolt 20.

In order that the ends I2 and M of the clamp I0 may overlap the end I2 is split so that the bracket 22 does not hinder the relative movement of the ends 12 and I4 with-respect to one another.

I achieve the above telescopic relationship of the end I2 with the bracket 22 by having an elongated slit 26 in the center of the band for a distance at least equal to that for enabling the clamp to be contracted for inserting with a hat form.

It should be noticed that when the bandA is inserted into a hat to be formed the operator need only turn the handle 2| so that the ends l2 and l 4 of the band will be spread apart and movement of the handle 2| in the opposite direction will result in the brackets I6 and 22 being moved closer together which brings the ends closer together. Since the shaft 20 is a right and left handed shaft movement of the handle 2! in one direction tends to draw the pivots l8 and 24 together and movement of the handle 2! in the reverse direction tends to spread the pivots apart.

It should further be observed that the brackets and the bolt are not only easily operated but that they are located adjacent a similar portion of the band. This enables the party or person working upon the hat to not only easily insert or apply heat to the interior of the hat but the spreading device hereinbefore related does not project over the brim of the hat (not shown) to interfere with the ironing of the brim of the hat, (not shown) Upon the outside peripheral surface of the band, I have spaced a plurality of spikes, or sharp pointed extension steel pins 28 which pricks the hat and thereby prevents slippage of the band with respect to the hat.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

In a hat band clamp comprising an elongated strip of resilient material shaped to fit the interior of a hat, said material having overlapping ends, a plurality of brackets, one of said brackets adjacent each end of said material, a slot through the longitudinal axis of said material whereby the slotted end of the material and the bracket may telescope, each of said brackets having a threaded pivot'therein, and a right and left hand threaded bolt connected to each of said pivots whereby movement of said bolt will expand or contract said clamp.

MAXWELL H. APPEL. 

